In this article you can find the answers for What is the Spinal Cord Stimulation? How is Spinal Cord Stimulation surgery performed? Who’s Candidate to Spinal Cord Stimulation Surgery? Who’s Candidate to Spinal Cord Stimulation Surgery? Which important factors are important to decide to do Spinal Cord Stimulation Surgery? What are the risks for Spinal Cord Stimulation Surgery?
Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS) is a device which surgically placed over the spinal cord and sends a mild electric current. the electrical activity blocks the pain feeling because the electrical pulses modify and mask the pain signal from reaching your brain. Briefly we can say that, the Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy prevents pain signals to reach to the brain.
We can use the Spinal Cord Stimulation surgery for treatment of Chronic Pain, Ischemic Pain, Diabetic Neuropathy, Failed Back and Neck Surgery, Buerger Disease and Phantom Pain.
There are two options. We can implant the Spinal Cord Stimulation electrodes percutaneously (under local anesthesia) or surgically (under general anesthesia).
Before the decide to implant the systen permanently, a trial stimulation should be performed to find the best candidates. The goal of spinal cord stimulation surgery is a 50-80% reduction in pain. But you need to keep in your mind, even a small amount of pain decrease can be very helpful because it helps you to perform your daily activities with less pain and reduces the amount of medication you need to take. If in trial period the patient doesn’t satisfied about the effect of the spinal cord stimulation, the electrodes can be removed completely, and it does not damage the spinal cord or nerves (reversible). The best advantage such these operations is a reversibility (all Neuromodulation approaches like Spinal Cord Stimulation, Deep Brain Stimulation, Sacral Stimulation, Vagal Stimulation and Intrathecal Baclofen Pump are reversible interventions, therefore they never result with permanent damage)
We can use the Spinal Cord Stmulation;
In which disorders?
We can use Spinal Cord Stimulation in such disorders;
· Chronic leg (sciatica) or arm pain:
o ongoing, persistent pain caused by arthritis, spinal stenosis, or by nerve damage.
· Failed back surgery syndrome:
o failure of one or more surgeries to relieve persistent arm or leg pain, but not a technical failure of the original procedure.
· Complex regional pain syndrome:
o a progressive disease in which patients feel constant, chronic burning pain, typically in the foot or hand.
· Arachnoiditis:
o painful inflammation and scarring of the protective lining of the spinal nerves.
· Neuropathy
o Diabetic Neuropathy, Neuropathy or other Neuropathy causes
· Stump pain,
· Unstable angina
o Medical resistant
· Peripheral vascular disease
o Ischemic Neuropathic pain
· Multiple sclerosis
· Spinal cord injury.
The most important factor is; If the Conservative therapies have failed, if there isn’t any benefit possibility from additional surgery and if you satisfied from the trial period you are a good candidate for Spinal Cord Stimulation surgery.
You need to remember there isn’t any surgery without risk.
General complications of any surgeries are bleeding, infection, blood clots, and reactions to anesthesia. Since the Spinal Cord Stimulation surgery mostly does under local anesthesia the complications of the Spinal Cord Stimulation surgery is very low. But the experience of the whole surgery team is so important like all surgeries.
Spinal Cord Stimulation surgery may also cause to cerebrospinal fluid leak, persistent pain at the electrode or stimulator site, a pocket of clear fluid (seroma) at the implant site, lead migration, which can result in changes in stimulation and reduction in pain relief, allergic response to implant materials. In that point the evaluation of the patient before the surgery by an experienced team is crucial.
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